Centrifugal separator



Dec. 28, 1954 J. E. COOK CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR Filed Dec. 26, 1951 26INI/ENTOR.

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United States Patent O CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR James Edward Cook,Poughkeepsie, N. Y., assignor to The De Laval Separator Company,Poughkeepsie, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December26, 1951, Serial No. 263,426

5 Claims. (Cl. 233-24) This invention relates to centrifugal separatorsand has for its principal object the provision of a centrifuge of thevertical type which is sturdy but compact in construction, simpliflesthe assembly and disassembly steps, is readily adjustable to vary theheight of the centrifugal bowl, and operates without any substantialvibration, as compared with prior centrifuges of this type.

A centrifuge made in accordance with the invention comprises a framehaving a table portion for supporting a supply can, or the like, whichfeeds the centrifugal focal, the frame also having an adjacent annularwall forming a well for the bowl. A hollow projection on the frameextends downward from the well and contains a spindle which supports thebowl in the well. Preferably, the spindle is supported both axially andradially in upper and lower bearings held in resilient annular mountswhich are positioned in the upper and lower end portions of a housingfor the spindle, and this housing is slidable vertically in the hollowprojection of the frame but is held in the desired vertical position byan adjustment member on the housing. In this way, both axial and radialvibrations of the bowl during operation are cushioned by the resilientmounts, and these mounts are adjustable vertically as a unit with thehousing, the bearings and the spindle to vary the bowl height, by asimple manipulation of the adjustment member, which may be a boltthreaded in the frame projection and engaging part of the housing. I ndit advantageous to provide the resilient mounts with enlarged portionsengaged in enlarged recesses in the ends of the spindle housing, and toprovide the mounts with enlarged spaces which receive the bearings,these spaces, however, having a smaller diameter than the interior ofthe intermediate portion of the housing, whereby the resilient mountsare stressed both in compression and in shear by axial thrusts on thebearings.

In the preferred construction, the frame isA supported by a hollow stoolin the general form of a truncated cone which is open at its enlargedupper end to receive the depending hollow projection of the frame andalso a motor for driving'the spindle in the projection. The motor issecured to this hollow projection and drives the spindle through aconnection which includes a pulley or other rotatable member secured tothe lower end of the spindle and holding the lower bearing in positionin the housing. The table portion of the frame forms a space' overlyingthe motor and opening downward into the hollow stool, thereby providingample space for circulation of air around the motor.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of the new centrifugal separator,and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the driving spindle, showing thebowl-height adjustment mechanism, this view being taken at an angle ofabout 90 to the view in Fig. l.

In Fig. l of the drawings, a frame casting for the separator isindicated generally at lil. The frame has at one side an arcuatevertical wall 11 merging at its lower portion with an annular wall 12forming a well 12a. A separator bowl 13 is mounted for rotation on avertical axis in the well 12a. At the bottom of the well 12a, andpositioned axially of the bowl 13, is a bore 14 (Fig. 2) extendingthrough the frame casting, the latter having a hollow projection 15depending from the well bottom and forming a downward extension of thebore 14. At the opposite side of the frame casting 1t) is an elevatedtable 16 for supporting a supply can 17, which has a 2,698,131 PatentedDec.` 28, 1954 valve cock 18 for controlling the supply of milk to thecentrifugal bowl 13. The table 16 is supported by and integral with thearcuate wall 11 and an arcuate wall 19 of the frame 10. The wall 19merges with the walls 11 and 12 and forms therewith a substantiallyclosed space 20 below the table 16.

Although the frame 10 has been described as being cast in one piece, theentire frame may be made from separate component parts secured togetherin any suitable manner.

The frame casting 10 is mounted on a supporting stool member indicatedgenerally at 21, the frame casting havlng near its bottom a continuous,peripheral, external shoulder 22 resting upon the upper edge of thesupporting stool member 21.

The stool 21 comprises a hollow member 23 in the general form of atruncated cone, the member being open at its upper or enlarged end andpartly closed at its lower or reduced end. Thus, the member 21 has aparabolical shape. It is arranged in upright fashion, its upper edgeclosely surrounding the frame 10 below the shoulder 22. The member 23 issecured to the frame 10 in any suitable manner, as by bolts 24. In thebottom of the member 23 is a hole 25 for drainage, relief fromcondensation, etc. As shown, the stool member 23 is spun or otherwisefabricated from sheet metal. The stool member is supported at its lowerportion by three or more foundation legs 26 secured to the stool bybolts 27. The bottoms of these legs rest upon the floor where, ifdesired, they may be permanently anchored by bolts 28.

The separator bowl 13 is mounted on the upper end of a vertical drivingspindle 29, the spindle 29 having a slot 30 which receives a mating part(not shown) of the bowl so that the bowl will rotate with the spindle.At the lower end of the spindle 29 is a driven pulley 31, which issecured to the spindle by a nut 32. The spindle is mounted for rotationin a cylindrical housing 33, which extends through and is slidablevertically in the bore 14. In its upper end and lower ends, thecylindrical housing 33 has enlarged spaces 34 and 35, respectively,which receive flexible mounts 36 and 37 for spindle bearings 38 and 39,respectively. The flexible mounts 36 and 37 are of annular form and aremade of a resilient, rubber-like material. The mount 36 has an internalshoulder 40 supporting the upper bearing 33, which is somewhat smallerin diameter than the main interior of housing 33 and lits closely in theupper part of mount 36. The latter also has an external shoulder 41located below the shoulder 40 and resting upon the housing shoulderformed by the enlarged space 34. Below the shoulder 41, the upper mount36 lits closely in the housing 33, but above this shoulder it has aclearance with the side wall of the enlarged space 34. The mount 36 alsohas a clearance 42 with the spindle 29 extending through this mount andits bearing 38. A split ring 43, seated in a groove in the spindle,rests upon the inner race of bearing 38 and provides the verticalsupport for the spindle.

The lower bearing mount 37 is similar to the mount 36 but is inverted inthe lower part of housing 33. Thus, its shoulders 44 and 45 correspondto the shoulders 40 and 41, respectively, of the upper mount. However,the enlarged portion of the lower mount fits closely in the enlargedspace 35 of the housing. The lower mount forms a clearance 46 with thespindle 29, which extends through this mount and its bearing 39. Thelatter is held against its seat 44 by the pulley 31 engaging the innerrace of the bearing. In this way, both the lower bearing and itsflexible mount 37 are held in position in the housing 33 at all timesduring the operation of the centrifuge. The spindle has shoulders 29aand 29h engaging the inner races of bearings 38 and 39, respectively, toprevent axial movement of the spindle in the bearings.

As is well known, the bowl of a centrifugal separator vibratesconsiderably during the centrifuging operation, even when the rotatingparts are carefully balanced. Under dynamic conditions, the axial andradial vibrations of the centrifugal bowl are transmitted through thedriving spindle to the supporting frame. The spindle mounting means ofthe present invention are highly effective to cushion and dampen thesevibrations. The

radial vibrations are cushioned by the enlarged portions of the mounts36 and 37 surrounding the bearings. By reason of the clearance spacesurrounding the enlarged portion of the upper mount 36, the latter canbe displaced bodily to a limited extent in the radial directions, thisdisplacement, however, being yieldingly opposed by the resistance of theintermediate portion of the mount to the resulting shearing stresses.When the upper part of mount 36 has been displaced sufficiently toengage the side wall of the space 34, further radial movement isyieldingly opposed by the resistance to compression of this part of themount. Thus, the upper bearing mount accommodates greater radialmovements of the spindle than the lower bearing mount, which is adesirable feature in view of the tendency of the upper end of thespindle to oscillate or gyrate about the lower end of the spindle as anaxis. Axial displacements of the spindle are yieldingly opposed by theshear-resistance of the exible mounts. For example, when the spindle 29undergoes an upward vertical displacement, the lower mount 37 is placedin shear, the shearing forces being exerted by the outer race of bearing39 and the shoulder of the housing member 33 formed by the recess 35.

Driving power for the spindle 29 is provided by an electric motor 48secured to one side of the depending hollow projection of the framecasting 10. The motor is located within the stool member 21 andunderlies the frame space 20, which opens into the stool member. Themotor is secured to the adjacent side of the frame projection 15 in anysuitable manner, as by means of 'f' bolts 49 extending through a bedplate 50 of the motor and threaded into bosses 51 welded or otherwisesecured to the projection 15. The motor is thus supported with the axisof its rotor 52 parallel to the axis of the spindle 29. A driving pulley53 is secured to the rotor 52 by a set screw 53a. The driving pulley 53and the driven pulley 31 on the driving spindle 29 are connected by abelt 54. The electric power supply for the motor 48 is delivered throughleads 55 passing through a rubber eyelet 56 in the frame wall 19.

The centrifugal bowl 13 may be of conventional type. Above it is theusual inlet cover 57 for receiving the liquid delivered through theoverlying valve cock 18 of the supply can. The cover 57 contains theusual float 57a for controlling the ow of liquid through the bottompassage 57b into the bowl. Below the cover 57, and surrounding the bowl,are receptacle covers 58 and 59 for receiving, respectively, theseparated liquid components discharged from the bowl 13. The covers 57,

58 and 59 are nested together and rest upon a ledge 68 of the framesurrounding the bowl 13. The bowl well 12a is vented at 61.

The bottom of supply can 17 is provided with a recessed center ring 62secured by welding or soldering. The recess in ring 62 is closed at thetop, as shown at 62a, and has vertical side walls 63 tapered so as togive a larger diameter to the open bottom of the recess. A hollow plug64 fits in the recess of the ring 62. The sides of the plug have a tapercomplementary to that of the recess walls 63, so that the plug has asliding it in the ring 62. The reduced end of the plug engages theclosed upper end 62a of the ring recess. At one side of the plug member64 is a hole 65 which loosely receives a locating pin 66 secured to thering wall 62a. The supply can 17 is removable from the plug 64 and maybe replaced on it in one position only, since such replacement requiresengagement of pin 66 in the hole 65. Thus, the proper alignment of thestop cock 18 with the inlet receptacle 57 is assured. At the center ofthe plug 64, a cylindrical bearing post 67 is fastened by means of atongue 68. The plug 64 is supported for rotation within a bushing 68mounted in the table 17. The post 67 extends through the bushing and isslidable vertically therein. The bushing 68 has diametrically opposednotches 70 in its periphery at the exposed upper end 68a thereof, thenotches being adapted to receive the ends of a transverse pin 71 in thepost 67. With the pin 71 thus engaged in the notches 79, rotation ofplug 64 is resisted, but the supply can 17 and plug 64 can be rotated,in order to swing the stop cock 18 clear of the inlet cover 57 so as topermit removal or assembly of the covers 57, 58 and 59. By forciblyturning the supply can and the plug 64 slightly, the pin 71 in the post67 is disengaged from notches 70 whereby the supply can is raised, dueto the cam action between the pin 71 and notches 70, and may be rotatedn the bushing 68. To adjust the spout of the stop cock 61 to its properheight, the bushing 68 is adjusted vertically within its aperture 72 intable 16, so that the cock 18 just clears the top edge of the inletcover 57. A set screw 73 at one side of table 16 is then screwed tightlyagainst the side of bushing 68. A hole is then drilled through table 16and bushing 68 so as to admit a locating pin 74. With the pin 74 inposition, the entire mounting for the supply can 17 is held permanentlyat the proper height adjustment.

At or near the lower end of the cylindrical housing 33, a circulargroove 75 is milled (Fig. 2). In an enlarged wall thickness 76 of theframe projection 15 is a tapped hole 77. A bolt 78 having a at head 80is screwed in the tapped hole 77, the outer portion of the head 80engaging in the groove 75. By this arrangement, the bolt 78 supports thehousing 33, and by rotating the bolt 78 the housing 33 and bowl 13 areraised or lowered relative to the covers 57-59 and the adjacent table16, as desired. When the bowl has been adjusted to the proper height inthis way, a set screw 81 in the frame projection 15 is screwed againstthe side wall of housing 33, the set screw 81 being in turn locked inposition by a nut 82. Access to the set screw 81, the nut 82 and thebolt 78 is provided by a hole or holes (not shown) in the side walls ofthe hollow truncated member 23.

It will be observed that the pulley 31 is of suficient length to effectproper engagement with the belt 54 in the various vertical positions towhich the bowl is adjusted by the bolt 78.

By reason of the space 20 formed by the frame above the motor and belowthe table, and the space formed by the stool member 23 below the motor,ample circulation of air around the motor for cooling purposes isassured. The described arrangement of the stool and frame provides asturdy and compact centrifuge construction and allows ready access tothe motor by simply removing the frame from the stool. The spindlehousing 33, together with the spindle and its bearing assembly, may beremoved as a unit from the upper end of the frame projection 15, afterremoving the bolt 78 and removing the belt from pulley 31.

I claim:

l. A centrifugal separator comprising a frame having a table portion andan adjacent annular wall forming a well, a depending hollow projectionon the frame extending downward from the well, a housing having avertical sliding fit in said projection and having a lower partextending below said projection, a spindle supported in the housing androtatable relative thereto, the spindle extending upward into the welland having an extension projecting downward through the bottom of thehousing, a centrifugal bowl rotatable in the well and mounted on thespindle, an adjustment member mounted on the depending hollow projectionat one side of the housing and engaging said lower part thereof tosupport the housing, said member being adjustable vertically on thedepending projection to vary the height of the bowl relative to saidtable portion, a motor secured to said hollow projection, and a drivingconnection between the motor and said bottom extension of the spindle.

2. A separator according to claim l, comprising also a supply canmounted on said table portion and having an outlet positioned above thebowl for supplying a liquid to the bowl.

3. A separator according to claim l, in which the frame forms asubstantially closed space below said table portion and adjacent saidannular wall, the motor being mounted in the lower part of said space.

4. A separator according to claim l, comprising also upper and lowerbearings in the housing engaging and surrounding the spindle, andresilient bearing mounts in the upper and lower end portions of thehousing for supporting the respective bearings therein, the housinghaving enlarged internal recesses in its end portions, the resilientmounts having enlarged portions disposed in said recesses and alsohaving reduced portions extending into the intermediate part of thehousing.

5. A centrifugal separator comprising a frame having a table portion andan adjacent annular wall forming a well, a depending hollow projectionon the frame extending downward from the well, a housing havingavertical sliding t in said projection, a spindle supported in thehousing and rotatable relative thereto, the spindle extending upwardinto the well, a centrifugal bowl rotatable in the well and mounted onthe spindle, a member supporting said housing and adjustable verticallyon 5 the frame to vary the height of the bowl relative to said tableportion, a motor secured to said hollow projection, a driving connectionbetween the motor and the spindle, and upper and lower bearings in saidhousing for supporting the spindle therein, said driving connec- 10 tionincluding a member secured to the lower end of the spindle and holdingthe lower bearing in position in the housing.

References Cited in the tile of this patent Number Number UNITED STATESPATENTS Name Date Forsberg Sept. 13, 1932 Colvin Nov. 17, 1936 PotterMay 5, 1942 Stout Feb. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date GreatBritain May 19, 1909 Italy May 17, 1926

